Aubrieta plant named ‘ABRZ0007’

ABSTRACT

A new  Aubrieta  plant named ‘ABRZ0007’ particularly distinguished by its very deep purple flowers, a compact and mounding habit with strong vigor, and a good winterhardiness.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Aubrieta hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘ABRZ0007’. BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Aubrieta, botanically known as Aubrieta hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘ABRZ0007’.

‘ABRZ0007’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘ABRZ0007’ has deep purple flowers, a compact and mounding habit with strong vigor and is very winter hardy.

‘ABRZ0007’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘H2669-52’ with purple flowers and less branching compared to ‘ABRZ0007’.

The male parent of ‘ABRZ0007’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant identified as ‘G1509-52’ with deep purple flower color with an eye and larger leaves compared to ‘ABRZ0007’. The resultant seed was sown in August 2009 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

‘ABRZ0007’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in March 2010 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘ABRZ0007’was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in May 2010 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May 2010 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘ABRZ0007’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘ABRZ0007’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in the European Union on May 27, 2015 and assigned No. 2015/1080. ‘ABRZ0007’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Aubrieta as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘ABRZ0007’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1 a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands under natural light in March 2015. These plants were approximately 22 weeks old and were growing in 13 cm pots, in shade-house trials.

The plants used for the photographs were about 22 weeks old grown in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and taken in March 2015.

Color Chart used: Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘ABRZ0007’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘AUDELPUR’ (U.S. Plant ‘ABRZ0007’ Pat. No. 18,457) Flower color: Deep purple Purple Earliness: 3 weeks earlier Later Plant habit: Mounding Trailing

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Mounding, spreading a bit.         -   Plant height.—10 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—11 cm.         -   Plant width.—18-20 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 6 days at about 18             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—2.5 weeks at 18             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 146B. Lower             surface: RHS 147C.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 146B. Lower surface:             RHS 146C.         -   Length.—2.5 cm.         -   Width.—1.7-2 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Base shape.—Attenuate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture.—Puberulous.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 143C.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 146C.         -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate, central vein more pronounced.         -   Petioles color.—RHS 144C.         -   Petioles length.—1-1.2 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Glabrous. -   Stem:     -   -   Color of stem.—RHS 144C-D.         -   Length of stem.—7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—0.2-0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Puberulous.         -   Color of peduncle.—Peduncle base: RHS 184D to RHS 145B.             Close to the top: RHS 145A.         -   Length of peduncle.—1.5-2 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 145A with shadow of RHS 184D.         -   Length of pedicel.—0.3-0.5 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Single, cruciform, composed of 4 petals, flowers held             above the plant.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—10-15.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 300.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—15 days.         -   Fragrance.—Very light musk. -   Bud (just before opening/showing color):     -   -   Color.—Outer side: RHS 183C to RHS 137B. Shadow side: RHS             144B.         -   Length.—1.8 cm.         -   Width.—0.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong. -   Corolla:     -   -   Immature inflorescence.—Diameter: 2.5-3 cm. Color petals,             upper surface: Very deep RHS N81A. Color petals, lower             surface: RHS N81B.         -   Mature inflorescence.—Form: Semi-double. Flower diameter:             3-3.2 cm. Depth of flower: Up to 1 cm.         -   Number of petals.—4-8.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—RHS N81A, very deep.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—RHS N81A.         -   Length of petals.—1.5-2.1 cm.         -   Width of petals.—0.7-1.8 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Spathulate, petals wrapping backwards, some             separated.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Corolla texture, inside.—Glabrous, papillose.         -   Corolla texture, outside.—Glabrous, papillose.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 151D.         -   Corolla tube color outside.—RHS 151D.         -   Duration of flowering.—Continuous flowering throughout the             Spring. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—4.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144B and RHS 187B.         -   Length of sepals.—1 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.35 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—2 types: 2 are oblanceolate, situated on the             opposite of each other, and 2 are oblong, also on the             opposite of each other. The particularity is that the 2             oblong sepals are swollen at the base on mature flowers.         -   Apex shape.—For the oblanceolate shaped sepals: Obtuse. For             the oblong one: Acute.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, inner/upper surface.—Smooth. Outer/lower surface:             Stellate hairs.         -   Base.—Fused. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil quantity: 1. Length: 0.9 cm. Style color:             RHS 144C. Style length: 0.4 cm. Stigma color: RHS N144D.             Stigma shape: Disc shaped. Ovary size: 0.3-0.5 cm. Ovary             color: RHS 143C.         -   Androecium.—Number of stamens: 6. Length of stamens: 0.9 cm.             Anther color: RHS 150C. Anther length: 0.2 cm. Anther shape:             Ovate. Length filaments: 0.7 cm. Color of filaments: RHS             145C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Color of pollen: RHS 151D.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Neither seed nor fruit production has             been observed.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Resistance to pathogens and pests             common to Aubrieta has not been observed.         -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—Hardy perennial.             Tolerates high temperature to at least 30 degrees C.             Tolerates low temperatures to minus 20 degrees C. No             specific drought tolerance has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Aubrieta plant named ‘ABRZ0007’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 